Storage compartments for a sewing machine carrying case

ABSTRACT

A NOVEL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE COVER OF A SEWING MACHINE CARRYING CASE FOR PROVIDING SEPARATE STORAGE FACILITIES THEREIN FOR AN ARTICLE HAVING UTILITY WITH A SEWING MACHINE, SUCH AS A FOOT CONTROLLER, AN ATTACHMENT BOX OR THE LIKE, AND FOR MATERIAL SUCH AS AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL OF PREDETERMINED SIZE. THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR THE ARTICLE IS PROVIDED ADJACENT AN END WALL OF THE COVER AND INCLUDES A RETAINING PANEL CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO FORM AN OPEN-ENDED COMPARTMENT OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO RECEIVE AND HOLD THE ARTICLE UNTIL IT IS NEEDED FOR THE SEWING OPERATION. MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR RELEASABLY CLOSING THE OPEN END OF THE COMPARTMENT. A SECOND STORAGE FACILITY IS PROVIDED ADJACENT ONE OF THE LONGITUDINAL COVER WALLS FOR HOLDING PAMPHLET FORM OF PROPER SIZE, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RIBS PROXIMATE THE TOP OF THE COVER WALL WHICH COOPERATE WITH A LOWER SUPPORT MEMBER TO FORM A RACK FOR SUPPORTING THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL OR THE LIKE MATERIAL INSIDE THE COVER OF THE CARRYING CASE.

Feb. 16, 1971 G. ZILG ETAL 3,563,625

G MACHINE CARRYING CASE STORAGE COMPARTMENTS FOR A SEWIN Filed Oct. 25, 1968 we m m a v M mL J e g y m we G V: B

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United States Patent 3,563,625 STORAGE COMPAR'IMENTS FOR A SEWING MACHINE CARRYING CASE George L. Zilg, Dunellen, and Henry J. Milan, Clark, N.J., assignors to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 770,599 Int. Cl. A47b 21/00 US. Cl. 312-208 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A novel construction for the cover of a sewing machine carrying case for providing separate storage facilities therein for an article having utility with a sewing machine, such as a foot controller, an attachment box or the like, and for material such as an instruction manual of predetermined size. The storage compartment for the article is provided adjacent an end wall of the cover and includes a retaining panel constructed and arranged to form an open-ended compartment of sufiicient size to receive and hold the article until it is needed for the sewing operation. Means are provided for releasably closing the open end of the compartment. A second storage facility is provided adjacent one of the longitudinal cover walls for holding an instruction manual or other material in sheet or pamphlet form of proper size, comprising a plurality of ribs proximate the top of the cover wall which cooperate with a lower support member to form a rack for supporting the instruction manual or the like material inside the cover of the carrying case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention pertains to a construction and arrangement for a cover of a sewing machine carrying case for providing in the cover readily accessible separate storage compartments for an article, such as a foot controller, an attachment box or the like, and for material such as an instructional manual.

Description of the prior art It is generally known in the prior art to provide in a sewing machine carrying case an arrangement for holding an attachment box inside the cover of the carrying case, one such arrangement comprising a narrow piece of elastic tape having one end secured to the cover at a location adjacent the top thereof and the other end of the tape being formed with a slot for detachably engaging a pin carried by an end panel of the carrying case adjacent the bottom thereof. This elastic tape secures the desired article in place on a shelf extending from the adjacent end panel. Further, it is well known in the construction of a carrying case for a typewriter to provide means for storing within the case a supply of stationery including an inwardly biased arm pivotally mounted for holding a stack of stationery against the top wall of the cover. The foregoing prior art storage compartment constructions have been found deficient for a number of reasons, one of which is the inefficiency of these constructions to attain the desired results over an extended period of time. For example, the storage construction using the elastic tape is apt to fail if the article being stored is too heavy or after repeated use the tape may tend to stretch or wear and thereby lose the original elasticity required for holding the article in place. Also, the supported article may slip from its stored position on either side of the narrow tape when the case is tilted. The heretofore known prior art constructions for holding stationery or the like usually include a mechanical element such as the above mentioned pivotally mounted 3,563,625 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sewing machine carrying cases, and more particularly to a novel and improved construction for storing an article used with a sewing machine, such as a foot controller, an attachment box or the like, inside the cover of the carrying case, and to a novel and improved construction for storing an instruction manual, booklet or the like of proper size inside the carrying case cover.

The present invention overcomes the above discussed prior art deficiencies and more by providing the cover of the carrying case internally with a compartment to store an article such as a foot controller, an attachment box or the like, formed by two pairs of closely spaced elongated ribs of different lengths located opposite each other on the inside surface of the front and rear walls of the carrying case cover, and spaced from one of the end walls of the cover. Each rib pair defines a slot or guideway for receiving a controller retaining panel, preferably of polypropylene material, which panel together with the cover end Wall and the adjoining portion of the top wall of the cover defines an open-bottomed compartment for receiving the desired article. The retaining panel is constructed so that a portion thereof is hinged to close the compartment by means of a slot formed in the lower free end of the panel, which slot releasably engages a retainer spring secured to the cover end wall near the bottom.

The storage facility within the cover for the instruction manual comprises a plurality of laterally spaced ribs having hook-like projections located on either the front or rear wall of the cover, preferably molded adjacent the top of the cover, which form with an open-topped support member located substantially central of the ribs at the bottom of the cover, a rack for the manual.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide for a sewing machine carrying case, a cover with novel and improved storage facilities.

Another object of the invention is to provide a readily accessible, inexpensive and dependable means for holding an article such as a foot controller, attachment box or the like in stored position adjacent an inside surface of the cover of a sewing machine carrying case.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a readily accessible, inexpensive and desirable arrangement for holding an instruction manual or the like of proper size inside the cover of a sewing machine carrymg case.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiments of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understand the functions, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial front elevation view of a sewing machine carrying case including a cover having a storage compartment for an article for use with a sewing machine, the article herein being illustrated as a foot controller,

and a storage area for an instruction manual or the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section view taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cover for a sewing machine carrying case, with a portion of the cover wall broken away, having separate storage facilities for an article for use with a sewing machine and an instruction manual or the like, and embodying the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the lower support member shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, the preferred forms of the present invention are herein disclosed as embodied in the cover 11 of a sewing machine carrying case also having a base 12 of conventional design, both the cover and the base being molded preferably of high impact polystyrene. The cover 11 releasably is secured to the base 12 in a conventional manner by means of the latches generally designated by the reference numerals 13-13, which are substantially like those disclosed in the United States Pat. No. 3,050,899 assigned to the assignee of the present invention and to which reference may be made for a more detailed description thereof. The cover comprises a horizontal top wall 14, two end walls 15 and 16, a front wall 17 and a rear wall 18. The upper surface of the top wall 14 is provided with a recess 19 for housing a retractable handle generally referred to as 20 and attached to the top wall in a conventional manner by means of a reinforcing plate 21 and a pair of screws and nuts generally designated 22, only one set of which is shown. The handle does not form any part of the present invention and reference may be had to the United States Pat. No. 3,340,970 for further details in regard to the construction of the presently illustrated preferred handle.

The cover 11 is provided internally with a construction that provides a compartment generally designated 23 for storage of an article normally used with the sewing machine 24 shown in FIG. 1 in dotted lines. The article stored is illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 as a foot controller 25, but it is to be understood that the article may comprise an attachment box or the like of suitable size. A pair of ribs 26-27 and 2829 of different length are molded with the inside surface of the rear wall 18 and the front wall 17, respectively, and are spaced from one of the end walls 15. These pair of ribs define slots or guideways 30 and 31 for receiving a substantially flexible retaining panel 32, preferably made of transparent polypropylene, which together with the end wall 15 form the storage compartment 23 for the foot controller 25. The unitary retaining panel 32 essentially comprises three sections, one being the vertically disposed upper portion 33 whose opposite sides are in register with the guideways 30 and 31, a central portion 34 bendable relative to the upper portion 33 about a living hinge 35 integrally formed between the adjoining portions, and a lower apertured portion 36 contiguous with the central portion 34 and disposed at an acute angle relative to the vertical portion 33, as best shown in FIG. 1, such that there is provided a closure for the open end of the storage compartment 23.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower portion of the panel 32 is provided with a locking slot or aperture 37 for engaging the hook-shaped end 38 of a storage panel retainer spring 39 secured by suitable means 40, such as a screw or a rivet, to the side wall 15 of the cover adjacent the fastening plate for the latch 13. The spring 39 operably cooperates with the retaining panel slot 37 to close the compartment after the foot controller or other article has been placed therein as shown by the solid line closed position of the panel in FIG. 1. To open the compartment the operator manually disengages the panel portion 36 from the spring end 38 by grasping with her finger a release aperture 41 formed in that portion and pulling downward so that the slot 37 is urged down whereby the spring end 38 clears the slot as shown by the dotted line position of the panel 32 (nearest the end wall 15) in FIG. 1. The panel portions 34 and 36 then may be pivoted away from the end wall 15 to the position shown by the dotted line position of the panel 32 furthest from the end wall 15 in FIG. 1. This end is facilitated by virtue of the ribs 26 and 28 being shorter than the ribs 27 and 29, respectively, thus allowing the above described free lateral movement of the panel portions 34 and 36 relative to the fixed panel portion 33 and to the end wall 15. With the panel so disposed the operator readily can remove the stored article from the carrying case cover.

Means for fixedly securing the retaining panel in place inside of the cover is provided comprising a molded stud 42 extending down from the inside surface of the top wall 14 through the aperture 43 formed in a bendable tab 44 integrally formed at the top of the panel portion 33. In order to secure the tab and therefore the panel in place, a suitable fastening means, such as a push-nut 45, is pushed over the stud. Another possible, but less desirable means for accomplishing the above would be to heat seal the free end of the stud.

Also provided in the cover 11 is a second storage compartment in the form of a rack support 46 for storing a booklet, such as an instruction manual 47 or any other written or printed material of suitable size which the operator may have occasion to use in conjunction with the operation of a sewing machine, inside the cover adjacent either the front wall 17 or as illustrated in the present preferred embodiment in the drawing, adjacent the inside surface of the rear wall 18. To accomplish this end there are provided a pair of spaced substantially centrally located ribs 48 and 49 molded with hook-like end projections 50 and 51 adjacent the juncture of the inside surfaces of the top wall 14 and the rear wall 18. A third rib having a construction like that of the ribs 48 and 49, except that its extending hook-like projection 53 is slightly shorter than those of the other two ribs (see FIG. 2), is provided between the aforementioned ribs 48 and 49. The rib 52 is continuous with a horizontal reinforcing rib 54 extending across the inside surface of the top wall 14 between the front and rear walls 17 and 18 of the carrying case cover. These rib projections 50, 51 and 53 form an open-bottomed rack for receiving an end of the manual 47 therein. The other end of the manual is supported in place by an open-topped rack comprising a support member 55, preferably made of polystyrene material, located substantially midway between the ribs 48 and 49 near the bottom end of inside surface of the rear wall 18 as best shown in FIG. 3. The member 55 is molded with a shelf-like portion 56 and may be fastened to a rib 57 formed on the rear wall 18 by any suitable securing means such as an epoxy resin. By preforming the rib 57 on the rear wall 18, assembly of the member 55 is facilitated since its location on the wall 18 is determined by the rib 57. The member 55 may be formed with a groove 59 (see FIG. 4) including a lower abutment portion 60 that will register with the lowermost end of the rib 57 and act as vertical stop for the member, thereby properly locating it on the rear wall.

It is apparent that the foregoing structure effectively horizontally and vertically locates the lower support 55 for the instruction manual 47. To properly locate the manual or other material of similar size and to prevent lateral shift thereof when manipulating the cover 11, there is provided a rib 58 proximate, but spaced from the op posite end wall 16. The facing or inner surfaces of the rib 58 and the rib 26, as best shown in FIG. 3, limit the extent of lateral shift of the manual by spacing the inner surface of the rib 58 at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the rib 26 correspinding to the width of the manual.

Various alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of our invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention or which may be equivalents thereof are intended to be included Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what we claim herein is:

1. In a cover for a sewing machine carrying case having a front and a rear wall, a top wall and at least one end wall, means for storing an article inside said cover comprising a substantially flexible retaining panel secured at one end adjacent the top wall and having a fixed portion, a movable portion and a living hinge integrally formed between said portions, a first pair of spaced apart ribs integral with said front wall, a second pair of spaced apart ribs integral with said rear wall, each pair of ribs defining a guideway therebetween for receiving and locating an edge of said fixed panel portion laterally spaced from said end wall and extending between the front and rear of said cover, said living hinge and moveable portion of said panel extending below said guideways so that said moveable portion may be moved about said hinge toward and away from said end wall relative to said fixed portion, said movable portion being formed with a locking aperture and a release aperture adjacent its free end, said panel and said cover defining a storage compartment with a closable opening, and a spring member secured to said end Wall adjacent the bottom thereof for releasably engaging said locking aperture to facilitate closing said compartment when said movable portion is manually moved toward said end wall, said release aperture adapted to be engaged manually to facilitate disengagement of said spring from said locking aperture by overcoming the force of said hinge.

2. In a cover for a sewing machine carrying case as recited in claim 1 wherein said retaining panel comprises a polypropylene material.

3. In a cover for a sewing machine carrying case as recited in claim 1 wherein said panel includes a tab integral therewith at its end adjacent the top of said cover, said tab having an aperture therein, said cover top having a protruding member integral therewith adapted to register with the aperture in said tab, and fastening means for securing said tab to said member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,620 12/1906 Graaf 312--208X 1,344,718 6/1920 Riddell 312245X 1,548,915 8/ 1925 Smallbone 312--208 1,875,177 8/1932 Osann et al. 312208X 1,962,177 6/1934 Dobson 312208X 2,677,341 5/1954 Bell 312-208UX 3,038,513 6/1962 Hamlett -52 3,050,899 8/1962 Stanton et al. 312284 FOREIGN PATENTS 331,951 7/1930 Great Britain 312-208 DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner 

